What's wrong with a snake that just wants to cultivate and transform?

Xu Nian watched, her heart aching, as Mu Yanyu, who had been so spirited and hopeful, now seemed as dejected as a frostbitten eggplant.

 From the tone that MuYanyu inadvertently revealed, Xu Nian could guess that she had been preparing for this for a long time. The feeling of long-held expectations suddenly falling through was something that no one could easily accept.

Unsure how to comfort Mu Yanyu, Xu Nian felt a twinge of guilt thinking about the earlier bidding. Mu Yanyu had generously shared half of her hard-earned spirit stones without a second thought, yet Xu Nian had been of little help when it mattered most.

Reflecting on her actions, Xu Nian lamented, “If only I hadn’t spent 450,000 spirit stones on that lock earlier. Maybe with that amount, we could have secured the Youth-Preserving Pill.”

Mu Yanyu still looked disheartened, but upon hearing Xu Nian’s words, she shook her head. “It’s not your fault. The auction was conducted by Tianbao Pavilion, and the Youth-Preserving Pill was their offering. Anyone with access to Grade-A VIP seats in Tianbao Pavilion has spent at least ten million spirit stones there. I’m afraid that even adding your 450,000 spirit stones wouldn’t have made much difference, except perhaps to slightly annoy the other bidder.”

In fact, when it came down to the final bidding war with the cultivator in the Grade-A private box, Mu Yanyu had a premonition about the outcome. Yet, when the moment came, it was still hard to let go of her disappointment.

As the attendants led away the cultivators who had successfully bid for items to settle their accounts, Xu Nian asked Mu Yanyu to wait for her at their original seats while she ventured off.

As the auction dispersed and the cultivators filed out, an idea sparked in Xu Nian’s mind. She turned against the outgoing flow, blending into the crowd with her innate ability to conceal her presence. Her goal was to find the location of the VIP booths, intending to see who had outbid them for the Youth-Preserving Pill. If possible, she thought, maybe she could…

Xu Nian edged close to the corridor opposite Grade-A box 3, hiding her presence and waiting for the occupant to emerge.

After several minutes of silence, when Xu Nian almost believed the person had left, the door to the booth finally opened.

To her utter surprise, the figure who stepped out caused Xu Nian’s eyes to widen in disbelief.

It was Elder Qiu, someone she least expected to find there. Wasn’t he supposed to be at the main island of Fanyin Pavilion?

Moreover, why would Elder Qiu, comparable to an ‘old cucumber’, vie for a Youth-Preserving Pill? It seemed utterly preposterous and out of place for him. In Xu Nian’s mind, this scenario was absurd to the point of being almost comical.

Xu Nian internally ranted in disbelief.

Xu Nian had misunderstood the situation. Elder Qiu hadn’t bid on the Youth-Preserving Pill for his own use. Recently, on the flying boat, he had inadvertently offended the sect leader because of the Xue Ling incident. In the following days, he brainstormed ways to make amends.

He had learned about the Youth-Preserving Pill being auctioned at the low-tier event, he thought it might be the perfect gift for Xue Ling. Young girls like her are often concerned about their appearance, and giving her the pill might resolve any lingering resentment. In that case, Xue Zhengping would have no reason to trouble him further.

However, Elder Qiu couldn’t leave the important meeting at Fanyin Pavilion, and he didn’t want to entrust this delicate task of apology to any disciple. After much deliberation, he decided to control his Nascent Soul avatar to participate in the auction alone. Confident in his strength, he didn’t expect anyone daring to cause trouble under the pressure of his Nascent Soul presence.

However, this avatar lacked the full strength and artifacts of his primary body, its power barely reaching the late Golden Core stage. This crucial detail went unnoticed by Xu Nian, who was intimidated by the aura of his Nascent Soul. Elder Qiu, not bothering to conceal his cultivation level, strode out openly, deterring anyone from considering foul play.

Xu Nian, if she had been bolder and followed him out of the auction, she might have had a fair chance of a successful surprise attack, given her lightning-fast reflexes. But doubts held her back. Elder Qiu was a respected Elder of Tian Yuan Sect; any covert action against him risked implicating Ji Yuebai.

Regretfully, Xu Nian returned to the auction hall. By now, most cultivators had settled their accounts, leaving her alone to finalize her transaction.

The attendant responsible for her, thinking she might have run off to avoid payment, was anxiously pacing back and forth. Seeing Xu Nian coming down leisurely, she asked with an edge in her voice, “You’re from earth-level seat number 77, right?”

Xu Nian scratched her head and apologized, “Sorry, I got caught in the crowd and went the wrong way. Where’s my item? I’ll pay for it now.”

Seeing her cooperative attitude, the attendant’s demeanor softened considerably and she gestured for Xu Nian to follow, “This way, please.”

After painfully handing over 450,000 spirit stones, Xu Nian took a quick glance at the Seven Passages Exquisite Lock she had won to confirm its authenticity. She then hurried off to find Mu Yanyu, worried she might have kept her waiting too long.

By this time, Mu Yanyu had regained her composure. She reassured Xu Nian, “A few million spirit stones are nothing. I, Mu Yanyu, can earn them with just a flick of my fingers. It was just a miscalculation this time. The Youth-Preserving Pill will surely be mine next time.”

It was also a form of self-comfort.

Xu Nian nodded repeatedly, playing along, “That’s right. You’re the woman who aspires to be the richest. You can’t give up so easily.”

However, the rest of the journey was relatively silent, and they parted ways upon reaching their respective accommodations.

Upon entering her room, Xu Nian slumped listlessly onto her luxurious couch. The thought of Mu Yanyu aging helplessly weighed heavily on her heart. If possible, she wished to stay with Ji Yuebai and Mu Yanyu for a long, long time.

“Yanyu, beautiful like jade,” she mused about the beautiful implications of Mu Yanyu’s name. Xu Nian remembered the first time they met, captivated by her vibrant beauty, like a blooming flame.

Suddenly sitting up, Xu Nian resolved that she must find another way. It struck her that the rarity of the Youth-Preserving Pill was mainly due to the scarce Transformation Fruit. Perhaps, possessing the fruit could simplify crafting the coveted pill.

Her eyes sparkled with determination as she pulled out the scroll Ji Yuebai had given her. Rushing to a desk lit by a night pearl, she unrolled the scroll completely, and started searching through it word by word, picture by picture.

Ji Yuebai came back to see Xu Nian deeply absorbed in her research. Bathed in the soft light from the night pearl, Xu Nian was nearly bending over the desk, her captivating eyes fixed on the scroll laid out before her. She was so focused that she didn’t realize her outer garment had slipped off her shoulders.

Suddenly, something grabbed her attention. Her eyebrows softened, and she unconsciously licked her lips, a hint of a smile appearing at the edges. The red mark on her forehead lent an enchanting allure to her lovely face under the interplay of light and shadow.

Ji Yuebai stood watching her for a long time, unnoticed by Xu Nian due to her deep concentration.

Not wanting to break the serene atmosphere, she quietly moved beside her.

The subtle fragrance of her presence gently wafted to Xu Nian, who, sensing something, looked up with a broad smile, “Yuebai, you’re back.”

Her smile was heartfelt, radiating warmth and beauty, brightening the entire room. Was she waiting for her?

A softness touched Ji Yuebai’s heart, and the chill in her body dissipated. Her voice was restrained and gentle: “Ah Nian, have you chosen the sword you want?”

Xu Nian’s eyes flickered momentarily with evasion before meeting Ji Yuebai’s gaze again. After a few seconds of mental preparation, she spoke, “Yuebai, I have something to discuss with you.”

Sensing the seriousness of the matter, Ji Yuebai took a seat opposite Xu Nian, her deep eyes fixed attentively on her. “Hmm?”

Xu Nian, now slightly nervous, fiddled with Ji Yuebai’s sleeve, her tone almost pleading, “I… I’ve changed my mind about the sword. Could I ask for a Transformation Fruit instead for your reward this time?”

Ji Yuebai was momentarily taken aback, then her eyes filled with concern. She gently grasped Xu Nian’s fingers, which were clutching her sleeve, her tone becoming more serious, “What’s wrong? Are you experiencing any problems with your body? There were records in ancient texts that mentioned some demonic beasts, even after successful transformation, experiencing abnormal physical symptoms after a long time. If that’s the case…”

The mere thought of a single Transformation Fruit being insufficient to address such a serious issue troubled her. Now that she was in the late stage of Golden Core cultivation, if she forcefully used a large amount of spiritual energy to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, there would be a seventy to eighty percent chance of success.

At this moment, a myriad of thoughts crossed Ji Yuebai’s mind.

Xu Nian blinked in surprise, not expecting Ji Yuebai to be so deeply concerned about her. A wave of gratitude and emotion surged through her, and to ease Ji Yuebai’s worries, she quickly clarified, “No, no, no, it’s not about me. I’m perfectly healthy, no problems at all.”

Afraid that Ji Yuebai might overthink, Xu Nian took a deep breath and continued, “It’s about MuYanyu. She had been saving up spirit stones for a long time to bid for the Youth-Preserving Pill, but it was bought at a high price by Elder Qiu from the VIP seats. She’s only at the Qi Training stage right now and is a pill cultivator. Who knows how many years it will take her to reach the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core stages. I just don’t want to watch her…”

So it was for Mu Yanyu.

Ji Yuebai’s gaze lingered on Xu Nian’s face,

“Didn’t you always want to be a sword cultivator?” Ji Yuebai inquired softly, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Xu Nian unconsciously bit her lip, “Some things are more urgent than others. Anyway, I’m just a demonic beast, probably not cut out for sword cultivation. It’s better to exchange the prize for something needed by someone else.”

Ji Yuebai remained silent for a moment, processing Xu Nian’s unexpected request.

Worried that Ji Yuebai might disagree, Xu Nian quickly moved closer and hugged her arm, “I know it’s wrong to use the reward you gave me for Mu Yanyu, but she has helped me a lot along the way. Even back in Qingshui County, she risked her life to assist me. I owe her so much that even if I had to cut my flesh to repay her, it would be worth it.”

As she spoke, Xu Nian affectionately nuzzled against Ji Yuebai’s shoulder, pleading, “Please, Yuebai.”

Ji Yuebai’s feelings were indescribable at that moment.

The reward from the disciple competition, while precious, was something she could easily obtain, given her consecutive victories.

But a dark voice in her heart tempted her: Reject her.

If you reject her, no one else will have the right to compete with you for Xu Nian.

If you reject her, will the Xu Nian still follow Mu Yanyu around when she grows old and weak?

Ji Yuebai first encountered Xu Nian as a naive and oblivious creature, vying for her affection, yet always lingering around the relatively weaker human, Mu Yan. Despite Ji Yuebai’s efforts to please Xu Nian, she maintained an innocent facade.

Ji Yuebai suddenly lifted her gaze, suppressing the dark whispers in her mind. She looked down at Xu Nian, who was eagerly awaiting her response, her eyes filled with hope and desperation. A moment of inner struggle passed before Ji Yuebai’s voice emerged, tinged with a hint of bitterness:

“Alright, I’ll exchange it for you tomorrow.”